They found that many of the aspects that are measured are outside our control (like income or crime levels) but there are many conscious choices we can make. Among these are:

connecting with people

doing something for others

learning new things.

One choice we can make is to take care of our bodies – but I would also want to add not just our bodies but our minds and spirits also. Meditation and mindfulness (staying aware in the present moment) for me are the keys. Our minds do not ‘empty’ when we meditate but we can still the ongoing chatter and allow our stressed minds a moment of calm. Likewise our spirits can flourish when we stay in the present moment, the only moment in which we can change anything, as Mindful techniques teach us.